Postgame: San Jose

In my recap of tonight’s 1-1 Crew draw against San Jose, I held back from definitively drawing a parallel between this year’s team and the primary woes that sunk last year’s version. Namely, the Crew’s inability to protect a lead.

After overhauling the defense, the Crew has now allowed a tying or go-ahead goal in consecutive games. Last week was the misplayed pass from goalkeeper Andy Gruenebaum to defender Gláuber that resulted in the final goal of a 2-1 defeat, a mistake that came out of the Crew’s desire to play faster soccer out of the back line. Those things can happen, especially on the road far from home.

What was surprising to me, however, was how quickly the Crew gave up the tying goal in its home opener. After Gláuber opened his MLS account with a header off a Federico Higuain corner kick, the Crew seemed to get stuck watching the ball instead of making a play. Against a team like San Jose, that is a recipe for disaster.

It also was surprising for a few reasons. It happened while the Crew was playing at home after taking the lead in what had otherwise been a nondescript game for large portions. It struck me as a time when the Crew should have smelled blood in the water instead of looking indecisive.

Head coach Robert Warzycha said he likes the fact that the Earthquakes pushed the Crew in the final 20 minutes and that the team had to battle through tough elements to preserve the draw. The experience will pay off down the road, he said, especially for a team still very much learning how to play together.

It is far too early to paint a full picture or this team, as it is too quick to press the panic button. It just seemed a strange time to lose the lead for a team that is being touted as a legitimate candidate to win the Eastern Conference by its front office.

More SpeasAfter midfielder Eddie Gaven did little in the way of game-like action this week, it was no surprise that the veteran was held out and second-year player Ben Speas earned his second consecutive start. The homegrown player was dangerous for much of the game, suffering two fouls and recording one shot on goal.

Warzycha said the coaches asked Speas and designated player Federico Higuain to essentially swap roles for the evening.

“(Higuain) is a very good player and he needs to find the ball and that’s what he was doing,” the coach said. “Everybody knows him and everybody knows he’s very dangerous around the box. That’s why Ben Speas was very successful inside, because they switched roles. Ben was more inside and that’s why we found Ben instead of Higuain. We planned that before the game.”

Fellow second-year midfielder Ethan Finlay (more on him later) said he was proud of Speas’ recent results.

“You want to find yourself on the field more consistently,” Finlay said. “You have to be able to come in and contribute and fight for position. Ben has stepped in and done a great job. I’m real proud of him from a young guy perspective. It’s good to see coach is willing to put these young guys in the game.”

Said Warzycha: “(Speas) is a good player and he finds a lot of success on the left side or in the middle of the field. He’s connecting the passes and linking the forward and defenders and midfielders so yeah, I’m happy with his performance.”

Warzycha said Gaven should be back in the lineup for next weekend’s road game against D.C. United.

“Eddie ran yesterday and today and the day before,” Warzycha said after the draw. “Today we decided he’s not going to be available. We’d rather have him for the next game.”

Although he said he was happy to be in the lineup, Speas admitted to a bit of a hollow feeling given the final outcome.

“It was great to be out there with the guys and to help contribute,” he said. “It was nice being out there trying to make things happen and proving that I can be out there. I felt good at times. Unfortunate to give up the goal and have them tie it up. There’s a lot of things we had to deal with – wind, whatever – but it was the same for them. They had to deal with it too. It’s tough to use excuses.

“We walk out of here with a point, which isn’t the end of the world. It’s nice to have a point. Wish it was three.”

Finlay sparkWhen I headed back to Columbus after spending five days watching the Crew’s preseason training in Kissimmee, Fla., no player had impressed me more than Finlay. The former first-round draft pick looked dangerous with the ball and seemed to have fully adjusted to the speed and physicality of MLS, and we saw a lot of that against the Earthquakes.

Immediately after being subbed on for Dominic Oduro in the 63rd minute, Finlay was taken down in the penalty area and likely should have earned the Crew a penalty kick. Four minutes later, he earned the corner that resulted in Gláuber’s go-ahead goal.

“You don’t see that stuff on the stat sheet, but I think a lot of guys tonight did a lot of things you won’t find on the stat sheet,” Finlay said. “It was tough conditions out there. We created some chances there in the second half. It’s unfortunate because we fight so hard to let a goal in and only get a tie out of this game.”

Warzycha said Finlay is showing progress in his second season.

“Sometimes players don’t have the best game,” the coach said. “As dangerous as Dominic Oduro can be, we thought Ethan could provide some spark and I think he provided it with the first touch. That was very close.”

Cold, cold, coldI felt for the fans in the elements as the sun went down and temperatures dropped inside Crew Stadium. Even Warzycha joked that while the weather was rough on the players, it was probably rougher on those who were not afforded the luxury of physical activity to keep warm.

Defender Chad Marshall pointed out that the grounds crew was unable to water the field for fear it would damage the irrigation system, which will remain the case until temperatures remain well above freezing in Columbus.

“It was tough,” he said. “It’s tough to hit long balls. (The field) was very slow, and with the wind it was tough to pick people out. And it was freezing, so you couldn’t feel your face or your hands.”

ChangeAfter second-round draft pick Drew Beckie made the 18 for the season-opening road trip to Chivas and Vancouver, he was replace in the home opener by offseason homegrown signing Chad Barson. That fact in itself shows that Barson is progressing.

“He was on the bench available for the game today, so that says a lot,” Warzycha said. “Maybe if it had gone a little different we’d see him on the field, but he’s made a lot of progress.”